Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza will be selling pizza for $3.14 each in honor of “pi” day on March 14.

“Pi” is used in mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.14159.

In addition to the $3.14 per pizza deal, the 314th guest to post of a photo of themselves with their pizza on Instagram using the hashtag #blazepizza will win a round of 10 free pizza passes from the company.

Blaze Pizza will be offering the deal all day on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. at its 215 N. Cattleman Rd., restaurant. The restaurant is near the Super Target and across from the Mall at University Town Center.

Blaze Pizza opened its first Southwest Florida location in January.

The fast-casual chain is known for its custom-built artisanal pizzas, salads, lemonade and s’more pies. Each restaurant features an interactive assembly-line format, perfected by other chains like Moe’s Southwest Grill and Chipotle. Pizza prices are under $8.

Blaze isexpandingquickly through the Sunshine State. The company opened its first Florida restaurant in Fort Lauderdale in November. A second restaurant opened in Gainesville in December. Six more restaurants will open in 2015 in markets like Orlando and Tallahassee.

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.

Buddy Brew Coffee will open a barista bar next to the Louie’s Modern restaurant and beneath the Palm Avenue parking garage this month.

Buddy Brew Coffee, known for its specialty coffee drinks and craft roaster, plans to open on Palm Avenue in downtown Sarasota by the end of the month. Patrons will be able to enjoy the outdoor patio seating, which is shared with Louie’s Modern restaurant and the adjacent event venue, The Francis.

The stand-alone coffee shop will collaborate with Louie’s Modern by serving its products inside the restaurant, like featuring Buddy Brew coffee on Louie’s Modern’s new Sunday Brunch menu.

Buddy Brew, which launched in 2010, uses coffee sourced from farmers around the globe. The company operates two shops in downtown Tampa – one in Kennedy Bolevard and a coffee counter inside the Oxford Exchange. Buddy Brew also operates a mobile coffee truck, which can be seen on location at the McDill Airforce Base in Tampa and at other locations in the Bay area.

Buddy Brew products are available in some Florida Whole Foods Market stores.

Check out this coffee how-to series on Youtube by Buddy Brew baristas.

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.

Nancy’s Bar-B-Q, a locally-owned barbecue restaurant at Burns Court in downtown Sarasota, will open a second restaurant on Lakewood Ranch’s Main Street this year.
A storefront on Main Street shows signs and images advertising that Nancy’s Bar-B-Q is coming soon. Owner Nancy Krohngold could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but previously told the Herald-Tribune about her interest in expanding to the Lakewood Ranch and University Park communities.
Last summer, Krohngold told the Herald-Tribune that she was in negotiations with Benderson Development to open a second restaurant in a shopping plaza at University Parkway and Honore Avenue, near the new Mall at University Town Center. However, plans to build the out parcel building in The Square at University Town Center, a shopping plaza on the north side of University Parkway with tenants like The Home Depot, Staples, Starbucks and Carrabba’s Italian Grill, never materialized.
“We have a dedicated customer base in Lakewood Ranch, and I would love to serve that market,” Krohngold told the Herald-Tribune in September.
The goal is to continue to operate the original restaurant at 301 S. Pineapple Ave, but have a larger facility in Lakewood Ranch to accommodate a growing need for Nancy’s expanding catering business.
Nancy’s Bar-B-Q is a joint venture between Nancy Krohngold and the Caragiulo brothers. Krohngold has been serving barbecue to Sarasota residents for more than a decade. Her restaurant officially opened in Sarasota in 2011.
Lakewood Ranch’s Main Street lost some tenants – like Chico’s and Soma – in October when the Mall at University Town Center opened at University Parkway and Interstate 75. Fast N Fresh, Starbucks, Lakewood Ranch Cinemas and several other eateries still populate the community’s Main Street.

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.

Connors Steak & Seafood, a restaurant chain owned by Connor Concepts Inc., will open its second Florida restaurant at Westfield Group’s Southgate Mall later this year.

The Knoxville, Tenn.-based chain is known for its seafood, aged steak entrees and affordable menu prices. Prime rib sells for $28 for a 16-ounce cut and seafood prices range from $16 to $28 per plate. The company has four locations in Knoxville, Tenn., Franklin, Tenn., Huntsville, Ala., and Fort Myers.

Connors inked a deal with Westfield Group late last year. The restaurant, which is expected to be 6,800 square feet and include an outdoor patio, will likely open in late 2015, said Bo Connors, a managing partner of the chain.

“The renovations plans (for Southgate Mall) in Sarasota are really nice looking,” Connor said. “There’s a lot of activity going on at that site and we’re very excited to be apart of it.”

Westfield Group declined to comment on the addition of the restaurant.

Connors Steak & Seafood opened its first restaurant in Knoxville in 2004. The Fort Myers restaurant opened in 2012 in the Gulf Coast Town Center, an outdoor retail center near Interstate 75. The restaurant received a AAA 3 -Diamond rating from the trade group.

“We’ve been very happy with our Fort Myers location and are looking to expand into other areas in Florida,” Connor said.

Connors Steak & Seafood is the latest announcement of several to come as apart of Southgate Mall’s revamp. Connors joins BRAVO! Cucina Italiana, by Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, also the parent of Brio Tuscan Grille, at the mall at Bee Ridge Road and Tamiami Trail. BRAVO!, an Italian restaurant chain, is also expected to open this year.

The restaurants and some new retailers, like Abercrombie & Fitch, among others, are expected to help transform the Westfield Group mall as it transitions into an outdoor lifestyle center with a new name, “Westfield Siesta Key.”

Last year Westfield Group confirmed plans to open a 7-screen Cobb Cinebistro movie theater in the former Saks Fifth Avenue anchor space. The movie theater, which has a full bar and restaurant, is also expected to open this year.

The Australian mall operator announced in 2013 that Southgate would be remodeled into an outdoor dining, shopping and entertainment space. In addition to new fixtures and overall décor, the mall will add 46,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, taken from its parking lot facing Tamiami Trail, to create an outdoor “street-like” feel with stone cobbled walkways and open-area covered paths.

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.

Sam Snead’s American Grill, a restaurant that recently reopened in the Southside Village, has closed “until further notice,” according to a sign posted at the establishment over the weekend.

The restaurant, which is located at 1830 S Osprey Ave., reopened in November for a few months after closing in the summer time last year. Sam Snead’s served steaks, ribs, burgers and chicken from an oak-fired oven while surrounded by golf memorabilia for decades.

The restaurant is named for the golfing legend who won a record 82 Professional Golfers Association tour events, including seven majors. Snead’s career spanned from the 1930s to the 1980s, and he died in 2002 at age 89, in his native Virginia.

“Sam Snead was an all around amazing athlete including being an all star football player in high school,” said William Steinmetz, new managing partner at the restaurant, when the restaurant reopened in November. “I’d like to think he would enjoy watching football with us here on Sunday.”

It’s unclear why Sam Snead’s closed again and if it will reopen. A sign on the restaurant’s front doors read “closed until further notice” over the weekend. Restaurant owners did not return calls for comment.

Photo by Brian BlancoFor more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.

Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza, a national chain of pizza restaurants, will open its first location in Southwest Florida on Thursday.

The fast-casual pizza concept,where customers can build their own pizzas, will open its restaurant at 215 N. Cattlemen Rd. To celebrate the grand opening, Blaze is giving away free pizza on Friday, Jan. 30.

Customers can have an 11-inch build-your-own pizza for free on Friday. The offer is good for one pizza per person. Pizza is free all day.

Blaze is expanding quickly through the Sunshine State . The company opened its first Florida restaurant in Fort Lauderdale in November. A second restaurant opened in Gainesville in December. Six more restaurants will open in 2015 in markets like Orlando and Tallahassee.

The Herald-Tribune reported Blaze Pizza’s interest in the region in August 2014. The new restaurant is located next to Panera Bread and Jos. A. Bank on Cattlemen Road.

The chain is known for its custom-built artisanal pizzas, salads, lemonade and s’more pies. Each restaurant features an interactive assembly-line format, perfected by other chains like Moe’s Southwest Grill and Chipotle. Pizza prices are under $8.

“Our mission at Blaze is really simple — we’re all about bringing the community a place where guests can connect, create and enjoy great pizza at crazy fast speed,” said Jim Mizes, president & COO of Blaze Pizza. “If you think about it, there hasn’t been a good way to enjoy a made-from-scratch pizza without the wait. Now there is. We believe this will be a game-changer in Florida.”

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill will open its first Venice restaurant location in a week.

The new 6,300-square-foot restaurant, located at 1751 S. Tamiami Trail, will open its doors at 11 a.m. on Feb. 2. The restaurant chain is teaming up with the Venice YMCA to host a charity event in conjunction with the restaurant’s opening.

“We’re excited to join the Venice community,” said Sean Bommarito, managing partner of the Venice Carrabba’s. “The new Venice restaurant is near and dear to my heart, having grown up in this area. After spending time at several Carrabba’s locations in Florida over the past 14 years, I’m coming home.”

The restaurant employes around 120 people. Carrabba’s is open for lunch and dinner.

Carrabba’s is part of the Bloomin’ Brands restaurant group, a Tampa-based company that also operates Outback Steakhouse, Bonefish Grill, Roy’s and Fleming’s Prime Steakhousee & Wine Bar.

Carrabba’s is just one of many new restaurant concepts to come to Venice recently. To read about the others, click here.

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.

The Applebee’s restaurant in North Port unveiled a new look at a grand re-opening event this week.

The restaurant chain renovated the North Port eatery late last year. It reopened to the south Sarasota County community on Jan. 22. New additions include a wall dedicated to local high schools and universities, as well as professional and college sports teams and community groups. Images included on the wall come from North Port High School, Florida Gulf Coast University, State College of Florida Manatee, Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota County, North Port Arts Center, Charlotte Stone Crabs, North Port Mustangs Youth Football groups.

The 5,848-square-foot restaurant, which can seat 182 guests, also upgraded its seating arrangements and added new lighting and flat panel television screens. The exterior of the restaurant was repainted and added new awnings and signage.

The North Port Applebee’s is located at 17500 S. Tamaimi Trail.

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.

The Shaner’s Pizzeria at 1923 Ringling Blvd. in Sarasota. Photo by Mike Lang

Shaner’s Pizzeria, the locally-owned pizza restaurant that for a short time, occupied the space that now houses McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre in downtown Sarasota, has reopened in Gulf Gate.

The restaurant, known for its thin-crust pizza and owned by former Major League pitcher Shane Rawley, reopened in Gulf Gate, where the business started out 25 years ago. The new pizzeria is located at 6500 Superior Dr., near the intersection with Mall Drive. The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating in the Gulf Gate shopping and dining district.

Shaner’s Pizzeria took over the former Horse Feathers Lounge space in Aug. 2011. It closed in 2013.

The new restaurant’s hours are 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.